Emerald Night
by Mrs Dionysius O'Gall
Summary: Lorelai remembers the night before...post episode for 6.15, A Vineyard Valentine
1. I Love You

It's always weird waking up on the "wrong" side of the bed, Lorelai thought, as she opened her eyes to a bright Sunday morning. Her eyes slowly tried to focus on the prints on the wall across from her, as her brain processed that she was at the Huntzberger retreat at the Vineyard. She'd have to memorize all the details of the décor for the inevitable grilling Emily would subject her to--especially after that fabulous anecdote about what she'd said to Shira!

Next to her, she could hear Luke still sleeping, his breathing steady and calm. Thank goodness he was finally getting some rest. This weekend had been painful and strange. She herself had felt somewhat uncomfortable spending the night under the same roof as her daughter and Logan, but then again, Rory was over twenty-one and an adult woman. Luke probably was out of his mind, she chuckled.

Yes, the weekend had certainly been bizarre. Take the necklace, for example. Logan must have used some pretty persuasive logic on Luke to get him to sneak away to a jewelry store. She giggled to herself; she simply could not imagine Luke and Logan shopping together for bling. There had to be more to that story. Sometime later, she'd have to compare notes with Rory.

But this morning, she was feeling pretty damn good. For one, she'd been able to unburden herself to Luke. Fingering the necklace, she'd let him know that she needed to hear him say that he loved her every now and then, and that she was afraid he didn't want to marry her. After sharing a heartfelt kiss, they spent a few moments exchanging sweet nothings, sitting on the bed together and watching the fire.

She had been waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop all weekend...ever since they'd started the drive to the Vineyard and she'd noticed that his attitude wasn't improving. But last night, just the way he was holding her hand in bed, and the sincere depth of his emotion as he once again re-stated his love for her, made her heart skip a beat and the tears well in her eyes. Only he could have this effect on her, she admitted to herself. This man invoked a huge emotional response in her that on many levels was far more intense than the high she got from a new pair of Manolos.

With her employees and with Paul Anka, with her friends and the townspeople, she knew what to do; she just trusted her instincts at all times. With Rory and Luke, she added her heart to the mix. Or rather, it used to be that way with Luke. Now, she was just trying to do the right thing. The big Right Thing. Easier said than done, she wryly considered. Instinctively, she knew that this whole situation had to be about Luke and April, and not about he own needs. But it hurt so damn much, especially since the one thing she could always count on, her Luke, she was no longer sure about.

Ever since April, her instincts had been at war with her heart. There was nothing she could do about the situation. April was now part of Luke's life. That woman--April's mother--had committed an unforgivable wrong and hurt Luke. And now there were thousands of ways she could hurt him as a result of this situation. It was a no-win situation, it seemed, but she loved him enough to take the pain upon herself for now.

Lorelai sighed and with Luke still sleeping, allowed herself to reminisce about the night before.

-----

After their little talk, Luke planted a soft kiss on her cheek and went over to the fireplace to take care of it for the night. Lorelai watched him, and when he turned back to the bed, Luke suddenly seemed to notice her attire. A few weeks earlier, she and Luke had spent an amazing night during which he'd learned to appreciate the finer points of lingerie. When she packed for this weekend, she included a couple of items she'd bought in anticipation of a honeymoon. Now that the wedding was postponed, she might as well wear them, she thought.

But the first night had been cold and Luke was in a mood. Tonight though, she decided the hell with it. And maybe it might help Luke's mood as well. She'd wear the skimpy emerald green nightie, and if she got cold, she'd simply cuddle up even closer to Luke.

But right now, Luke was standing next to her, staring. She felt his eyes all over her, and her body reacted, a warm flush traveling from her head to her toes. She looked up at him.

I should tell him that I love him too, she thought.

Holding his gaze with hers, she followed through with "Luke, you know that I love you too…"

"Yeah," he responded, coming to her side and sitting next to her. Taking her hand, he pressed it to his lips and began kissing his way up her arm. "You look beautiful tonight…"

"Just tonight?" Lorelai quipped in return.

Luke smiled back at her. "I can't believe how lucky I am to have you. I thought I was lucky before, but you've been so great, giving me time and space with April…"

"I love you, Luke," Lorelai stated, "and that's what people who love do…"

Although Luke found it difficult to say, he knew how lucky he was. Until tonight, it hadn't even occurred to him that she had any doubts about his wanting to marry her. Of all the men in the world, she'd asked him to be with her. She'd chosen him to be the one to hold her, to remove her clothing, to explore her body, to kiss her, to show her how beautiful she was by stroking every part of her body…to make love to her. And she wanted only him, and no one else. Ever. Most incredibly of all, she'd told him that she wanted his children.

Kids would be good. He'd just never dreamed it would be this way, by a hair pulled.

Tonight she'd told him how she felt. Tonight, he would show her how he felt.

As if reading minds, they slowly joined again in a kiss. This time though, Luke leaned his body into hers and kissed her with an intensity he hoped would show her just how much he loved her. He pressed his body even closer against hers, pushing her against the headboard. Was she whispering his name? He couldn't be sure, because suddenly the obnoxious noise of the waves outside their window was overwhelmed by the pounding of the blood in his ears.

Slowly, they broke their kiss and Luke once again whispered to her that she was beautiful. He reached up to cradle her face in one hand, and with the other, gently traced the line of her jaw, not breaking eye contact. His lips spontaneously decided that they needed to kiss a wet trail down the column of her neck and along the curve of her collarbone.

And then suddenly, he stopped.

"You worried about the kids?" she murmured.

"Yeah," Luke answered. "You sure the walls are soundproof?"

She turned to face him, cheeks flushed, lips rosy, eyes shining with desire. "They're on the other side of the house, for God sake…"

That was all the assurance he needed. With his beautiful Lorelai still somehow wanting to love him, he had only one purpose. Slowly, he gently placed one hand at the base of her neck, and with the other, trailed across her chest to cup one breast through the emerald silkiness she was wearing. She rewarded him with a ragged breath as his fingers circled, finding her nipple already hard. Gently, he pinched, causing her to breathily sigh his name.

"Yes?" he responded.

She could only whimper.

Slowly, his other hand trailed the length of her nightie, quickly reaching her thigh.

Somehow, the next thing he knew, she was on top of him, straddling his waist, her hips moving above him. With one swift movement, he pushed her nightie up around her waist.

TBC… 


	2. The Laws of Physics

Somehow, the next thing he knew, she was on top of him, straddling his waist, her hips moving above him. With one swift movement, he pushed her nightie up around her waist.

"You shaved your legs," Luke murmured appreciatively, as he slid his hands up her thighs. "You didn't have to…"

"Hey, a girl goes outta town with her fiancé, I think that calls for some razorly action! And from what I'm seeing, it's working…"

"Uh huh," Luke replied, continuing to stroke her legs. "Promise me something?" he continued.

"Depends…" Lorelai giggled in return.

"You'll be really quiet…if we…you know…?"

"Not a chance, babe…" Lorelai answered, laughing. Then she leaned over to run her hands up under Luke's sweatshirt, bending down to kiss him.

As she kissed him, Luke once again thanked his lucky stars for taking that first step the night of the Inn's opening. Asking Lorelai to stand still, then kissing her, was possibly, no definitely, the smartest thing Luke had done in his life.

Lorelai's mouth was always a revelation and a marvel to him, no matter what it was doing--kissing, talking, eating came to mind--or where she placed it. Like now: so warm and soft against his mouth: insistently yet gently demanding entrance. Was there ever any question that he would grant it? Without hesitation, his tongue joined hers.

At the same time as lips and tongues were busy, his arms enfolded her, moving up her backside, her back and then upward…stroking her soft skin, which strangely, in spite of her light attire, felt warm to the touch. Luke fleetingly thought he may have moaned, but didn't give a damn: her tongue unfolding in his mouth, slowly stroking, sent waves of sensation throughout his body. Her hands, meanwhile, had made their way up under his sweatshirt to his neck, and were holding onto his shoulders…when the laws of physics had their moment.

Lorelai lost her balance and tumbled to the side, laughing, all legs and emerald green silk and arms and dark hair. They spent a few moments enjoying the silliness of their mishap. To Lorelai, it seemed like months since she'd last laughed with Luke.

"Oh god," she quipped, "I really do hope the walls are soundproof, because otherwise, I can just imagine…what Rory's thinking right now…"

Luke paled. "Don't mention…" he groaned, not able to bring himself to say his future stepdaughter's name.

Instead, he turned his attention to Lorelai, whose laughter showed no signs of finally subsiding. She smirked, looking over at him, her chest heaving, and looking so much like the Lorelai from before all the daughterly things had happened with Rory and April. He rolled towards her, and placed his index finger over her mouth.

"Shhh…now where were we?" he asked, as he then trailed his finger over her chin, down her throat and onto her chest.

They were back where they'd started, Lorelai thought, with Luke's fingers ready to repeat their magic. She so welcomed his leisurely approach, which felt normal, and fun…and it just felt like she hadn't had fun with Luke in such a long time. At the same time, an overwhelming feeling of desire overtook her. She was well aware that she was more than aroused and ready, and if he was her usual Luke, she knew without checking that he had grown hard by now.

But where was the fun in not checking, she giggled to herself, as her hand reached for him.

Enjoying each other had always been a hallmark of their relationship, whether platonic or romantic. They enjoyed being friends and they certainly enjoyed being lovers. She had expected fireworks when they finally slept together the first time, and Luke did not disappoint that night. What she had not expected was that the ordinary moments, their ordinary intimacies, would have the power of a nuclear explosion for her and eclipse the big moments.

Like now.

Oh yeah. She had to kiss him again. She tugged at his sweatshirt and in a flash, he had rolled somewhat onto her, pressing his hardness into her tummy. Diving for her mouth, he proceeded to silence the lingering vestiges of her laughter.

She moved her hips, reveling in the feelings caused by the contrast of his hard manliness and her soft womanliness. At that moment, she decided she would just let go of all her concerns. He not only wanted her, he loved her. Still. He still wanted to marry her. If his beloved Red Sox could wait forever for their moment--and didn't they get World Series rings?--she could wait a few months for her ring. Especially if it meant that Luke would be out of his head and back in the world.

Lorelai's hands tugged at the waistband of his sweats. She'd let Mr. 'Martha's Vineyard is the Back Country' keep his multiple shirts on, but the pants had to go. They both managed to get the job done, at least judging by the kicking motions she felt going on near the foot of the bed.

His breath tickled her ear. "Warm enough?" he murmured.

"Oh yeah," she replied.

"Good," she heard him say as he moved down her body, suddenly grabbing her legs and pulling them over his shoulders. Her legs apart, he nuzzled his face against her, surprising her: for all his insistence that she be quiet this night, he was indulging in the very activity that guaranteed she couldn't…as the gasps and moans now coming out of her attested to.

Between the ambience of the room recently warmed by fire, and the sounds of the ocean, Luke's rhythmic activity combined to soon have her thrusting her hips, hands pulling at the sheets as she didn't give a damn who heard her as she climaxed.

Usually, Luke would soothingly stroke her hair and face afterwards, patiently waiting for her to ground herself again. But this night, before she could catch her breath, Luke had moved up and was guiding himself into her.

"God, you're gorgeous," he managed to say, and then grasping her hands in his, interlocked their fingers and began moving. Together, slow and easy.

After some time passed as they indulged in this leisurely beginning, she decided she needed to quicken the pace, and hooked her legs behind his back to encourage him. Murmuring his name, Lorelai urged him on, and he pounded his way to completion, ever harder, deeper, faster. The only decipherable sound he made was her name, gasped out in three distinct syllables. Luke panted, collapsing on top of her, as she sprinkled his face with soft kisses, whispering her love to him.

A few minutes later, breathing with normal rhythm, Luke lifted his head, his stubble scraping lightly against her face. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "Love you," he murmured, as he rolled off her onto his side, now stroking her hair as they lay otherwise still, wrapped together in each other, as he slowly slipped out of her body.

"Back atcha," she whispered, one hand once again reaching up to trace his stubble, the other tightly clasping Luke's arm. Lorelai was wide awake, listening alternately to the even rhythm of Luke's breathing and the rhythm of the ocean waves outside their room.

Luke's eyes opened as he whispered, "Thank you." He smoothed her nightie, pulling it back into place.

Lorelai smiled.

"For telling me…" Luke continued.

TBC 


	3. Good Morning

Luke's eyes opened as he whispered, "Thank you." He smoothed her nightie, pulling it back into place.

Lorelai smiled.

"For telling me..." Luke continued.

"Oh," Lorelai shifted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"Lorelai, stop," Luke murmured, "You have nothing to be sorry about. And you're right; I do need to tell you that I love you more often. Not just when we…" He motioned his hand between them.

Lorelai turned to snuggle closer to him.

"It's just that I felt you were being a little too hasty about the postponement. I mean, I could tell you were really thrown for a loop with the news that you had this kid," Luke groaned in agreement, "and you were upset, and I thought that you'd feel better sooner…"

"Shh," Luke tried to silence her, knowing it was futile.

"No, Luke. See, I thought the daughter thing was like the boat."

"The boat?" Luke chuckled with surprise.

"Yeah. You kept the dark day from me, but then after you had some time, you came around. You came around about the boat. And now, once again, I'm thinking like I would think…"

Luke silenced her with a kiss. "Remember what I told you that night?"

"That I looked hot in that dress? At Miss Patty's?"

Luke chuckled, then seriously added, "You just keep thinking like you'd think."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I mean it. Even if it sometimes doesn't seem that way."

"We're getting married," Lorelai stated, stretching into a yawn.

"We're getting married," Luke repeated, "but first, let's get some sleep."

"Hey Luke?"

"Uh huh?"

"Can you go get that robe from the bathroom? I'd hate to have like an earthquake or waves come crashing in, or a home invasion like on that episode of…" Lorelai noted Luke's exasperation, and continued, "And I wouldn't want to run into Logan wearing this…" Lorelai giggled and ran her hand over her emerald green nightie.

"Aw, jeez," Luke sighed, but nevertheless, pulled his sweats back on and went to fetch the plush robe.

"Here OK?" he asked as he smoothed it over the end of the bed.

"Oh my god," Lorelai laughed.

Luke impatiently responded with a mock-irritated "What now?"

"We forgot…" she giggled, "to lock the door!"

"You mean…"

"Yep…Rory could have walked in…"

Luke groaned.

"Well, you know you're going to have to get used to having a kid around sometime…I mean you'll probably be having April over and what if Rory becomes a mom sometime, a very long time from now…there'll be grandkids..."

At that thought, Lorelai lapsed into all-out laughter.

"Sleep!" Luke demanded, moving towards the middle of the bed and wrapping himself around his fiancée.

-----

It was a beautiful, sunny but cold winter morning as Lorelai sighed again. She smiled to herself as she remembered falling asleep next to Luke, relieved that he still loved her and wanted them to marry. She continued smiling, her eyes still closed as she remembered how well and soundly she'd slept. Come to think of it, she'd slept really well for the first time since all this drama had begun. She only hoped that Luke had slept as well as she had.

Luke groaned, and she felt him move. Hopefully, he'd be out of his funk today.

Luke's arm instinctively came around her, his lips softly kissing her shoulder, as he whispered "Good Morning."

And she just knew. If she could wake up feeling this good after sleeping on the wrong side of the bed, they could, no would, get through all this. Together. 


End file.
